Device for breaking down coal



March 7, 1933. J. F. JOY

DEVICE FOR BREAKING DOWN COAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 13, 1931JNVENTOR.

BY fdr] ATTORNEY.

March 7, 1933. J.- 'F JoY DEVICE FOR BREAKING DOWN -COAL 3 Sheets-Sheetl2 Fm. .HN N mw, S mw.

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Jose/OZP Ff Joy,

lA'VENToR.

ATTORNEY.

March 7, 1933. J. F. JOY

l DEVICE FOR BREAKINGDOWN COAL Filed Oct. 13, 1931 3 Sheecs-SheerI 3INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE n Josnrirv r. .TonerMARION, OHIOQAssrGNORTO JOY BROS., INO., OF `MARION, OHIO, 'if Y ACORPORATION, Y

DEvIcErOR BREAKING DOWN COAL" Application inea Oetoberia, 1931. Y serialNo. 568,626.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for Vbreakingdowngcoalfiny mines, after suitable preparation. More specifically,the'presentdevice. is especially serviceable for breaking down coal whenprepared in the manner disclosed in my co-pending application for patentupon method of mining coal and apparatus therefor, Serial Number568,596, filed Qctober 13, 1931; As dis-V closed in said pendingapplication, intersecting vertical and horizontal slots of relativelynarrow form are sawed into the coal seam at right angles to the workingface and for a depth approximating the thickness or l5 height of thecoal seam, whereby afcut of coal is divided into a number ofhorizontally elongated blocks attached only at their far ends to thecoal seam. The presentv device embodies a normally flat and thinexpansible coal breaking member adapted to be inserted inltheaforementioned slotsofrelatively narrow form, whereby the blocks of coalwill be effectively broken down upon expansion of the coal breakingmember.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a device oftheabove kind which is extremely simple and durable in construction,economical to manufacture, and eiiicient in operation'.` Y Y Y Morespecifically, the present "invention aims to provide a device of thelabove kind including a. fluid-tight hollow expansible coal breakingmember, :and means to supply said coal breaking member with iuid underpressure Vso as to expand the same.

More specific objects andfeatu'res ofthe invention will become readilyapparent from the following description when-considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational viewv of a device for breaking down coalconstructed in Vaccordance with the 'present invention, and illustratinguse of the device ina mine.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the liquid reservoirand adjacent parts of the device in centralvertical longitudinalsection. l Y l j Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section Online S-S'O'Fi'gure 1.

coal breaking member 5 yisfirml'y" attached [Figure 4 is ahorizontalsection Online ,4c-.4fofFigure2. 'l' Figure 5 is a verticaltransversesectionA onv line 5 5 OfFigure l. V f 1' Figurev 6 is a planview of the expansible coal breaking member andadjacent parts. Figure 7is an enlarged cross section take-n on line 7 7 of Figure.

Figure 8 is a section on lineV 8-8 of Figure 6. y

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the inven-` tion, employing a modifiedform of'expansif ble coal breaking member. 'y Figure ,10.is an enlargedplan view of the coal breaking member employedk in the 65 constructionof Figure 9 ,and 'p Figure 11 is anenlarged section onrfline 11-11ofFigure 10. i *i i Referring more in detail to the drawings,

the present invention aims to provide a'port.- 70 n able deviceofunitary construction, including an inflatable'expansible coal4 breakingmember, and power operated means for in? flating or delating said coalbreaking inember. As shown in Figures l'to Srinclusive, T15 the coalbreaking member preferably consists lof an elongated flexible tube 5formed of reinforced rubber or the like, and having its ends closedbytightly riveting the same ,y betweenpairs of clamping plates6 as shown80 in Figures 6 and,8. The expansible coal breaking member 5 isV thusoff1uidtiglit con'- structionand normally assumes. anat-like crosssection as illustrated in Figure 7 The to the outer end of a rigid fluidvsupply conduit 7 so as to exten-d transversely of the latter as shownclearly in Figur-e 6. `For this) purpose, a clamping bar 8 isgar'rangedlongitudinally within the member 5 and fitted 9oV i vrwithin the fold ofthe latter at one longitudinal edge of the same, while-a cooperating`Vclampingbar 9 is placed against this'longitudinal edge of the Vmemberf5 externally of thelatter, the two clamping bars 8 and 9 beingsecurely'connected by cap'screws lO'which freely pass throughtheclampingV bar 9 and the adjacent folded edge ofthe member 5 andthread into suitable'sockets in the clamping bar 8 as shown inFigure6and100 istv 7. The clamping bar 8 has a rounded outer longitudinal edge tofit the fold of the adjacent longitudinal edge of the member 5, whilethe clamping bar 9 has its adjacent longitudinal edge concaved tosimilarly fit the adjacent folded edge of Athe member 5, thus permittingclamping of the adjacent edge portion of said member 5 between the' bars8 and 9 without danger of cutting the latter. The Vadjacent outer-end ofthe'con- -duit 7 has a flange 11 secured tightly against the outerlongitudinal edge of Vthe outer clamping bar 9 by certain of the capscrews 10, and the clamping bars 8 and 9 have registered centraltransverse openings which r-egister with an .opening in the adjacentedge of the coal breaking member 5 and ai'- ord communication betweenthe conduit 7 and the interi-or of said member 5. The expansibleiniiatable coal breaking member 5 is thus firmly attache-d to the outerend of thefluid supply conduit 7 so as to extend transversely of thelatter in a plane parallel with the longitudinal aXis of the conduit 7.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, asuitable liquid, such as soluble oil, is pumped under pressure throughthe conduit 7 into the member 5 for expanding .the latter. Accordingly,the present -device is shown as including a liquid reservoir' 12 adaptedto Vcontain a sufcient quantity of liquid to expand the member 5 to therequired extent. This reservoir is rigidlyy secured to the front end ofan electric motor. 13 whose armature shaft 14 projects through thereservoir 12 and is journal-ed in a bearing 13a countersunk in theadjacent innerV end wall of the reservoir 12 as shown in'Fig'ure 2. Saidinner end wall of the reservoir 12 is further provided with a packinggland 15 through which the armature shaft of motor 13 extends and bymeans oi which leakage of liquid from the reservoir about the armatureshaft of motor 13 is prevented. A relatively large .opening 16 isprovided 1n. one side of the reservoiry 12 to permit access totheinterior of the latter, and this opening is closed by a removable coverplate 17 having a rigid inwardly projecting blade 1S adapted to eng-agein peripheral notches 19 of a packing compressing bushing 2G of thegland 15 for maintaining said bushing in Vadjusted position, or againstloosening, The

motor 13 has a pistol-grip control switch 2l rigid with its inner endfor use in conveniently throwing the same into and out of operation an-dfor use in facilitating manipulation of the entire device. Also, thereservoir 12 has a bottom sump 22 provided with a bottom drain-openingclosed by a removable plug 23. Y. The outer end of the reservoir 12 isprovided with a relatively large opening 24 closed by a removable plate25 through which the armature shaft of motor 13'extends, and

in the upper portion of which is provided Va countersunk bearing 26. Afurther plate 27 is secured to the plate 25 and has its inner siderecessed as at 28. The recess 28 is closed at its inner end by the plate25 so as to form a chamber for reception of the meshing gear pistons- 29of a pump assembly utilized for vforcing the Vfluid into or out of thereservoir 12 from or into the expansible member 5, as will vlater-becomeapparent. One gear piston 29 is keyed on the outer end of the armatureshaft vof motor 13, while the other gear piston'29 is securedto acounter shaft 30 journaled in the bearing 26 and a further bearing 31countersunk within the inner face of a valve body 32 fastened tothe'outerfside oi' the pl-ate'f 27. A urtherbearing 33 is countersunk inthe inner side of the valve body 32 in which the outer end of thearmature shaft of motor 13 is journaled. As shown, the plates 25 and 27and Ivalve body 32 are rigidly fastened together by cap screws 34, whilethe plate 25 is fastened to the adjacent end of reservoir 12 by furthercap screws 35.

The valve body 32 is provided with a vertical tapered bore 36 in-whichis revolubly fitted a tapered valve plug 37 having an angular port 38and a longitudinal groove or passage 39. The valve plug 37 is yieldablyheld upwardly into snug'contact lwith the walls of the bore I36 by meansof a spring 40 interposed between the bottom end of the yplug 37 and' aclosure plug 4,1,forthe lower end of said bore 36. The valve plug 37 isshorter than the bore 36.50, thatjwhen the `plug 37 is operativelydisposed, a chamberl is left at the top of the bore V36 .above the plugY 37 as at 42, and a further chamber is left at the bottom ofthe bore 36below the plug r37 as at 43. stem14'4 is rigid withthe upper smallerendof the turn plug 37 and projects externally .of the valve body 32through a packing gland 45. A handle 46 is attached to the projectingouter end of the stem 44 for use in manipulating or turning the valveplug 37. The valve body 32 is rformed with a -vertical passageV 47rearwardly of the bore 36, and this passage A47 communicates with thechamber 42 abovethe valve plug 37, as shown in Figure 2. A furtherpassage 48 extending through the plates 25 and 27 and the lower portionofthe valve body 32 affords communication between the .lower end of thepassage 47 and a discharge pipe 49. The pipe 49 is of angular lform andhas one end threaded into the plate 25, while its other end turnsdownwardly to a point adjacent the bottom of the sump 22 of reservoir12. Further horizontal passages 5()A and 51y are provided in the valvebody 32 on a plane intermediate the ends of the valve plug 37, and thesepassages communicate with the bore 36 at opposite sides of the valveplug37 as shown clearly in Figure 4. The inner ends of the passages 50vLeona-ie and5l communicate respectively withoutlet and suction ports.52 and 53 provided in the plate 27 so as to communicatey with the pumpchamber orrecessl 28 at opposite sides of the gear pistons 29. It willbenoted that the passage 3S in the valve plug 37 is in constantcommunication with the lower chamber 43, which is the outlet chamber, ofthe control valve, and such passage38 may be selec tively registeredwith the adjacent `end of either passage 50 or. 51 byproperly turningthe valve plug 37. It will also be noted that the passage 39 of valveplug 37 extends from the top of the latter to a pointinterina-wy diatethe ends of the same, whereby said passage 39 is in constantcommunication withv t-he upper or inlet chamber 42 of the control valve,and whereby the passage 39 maybe brought into communicationwitheitherpassage'50 or 51 when the valve plug 3 7 is proper-ly turned. It is thusapparent,'that when the passage 38 is positioned as in Figure 3 toprovide communication between passage 50 and outlet chamber 43, thepassage'39 will be positioned to provide communication between thepassage 51 and the inlet chamber 42. Thus, the motor 13 may be placedinto operation for rotating the gearipistons 29 so that the liquid inreservoir l2 will be sucked through pipe 49, passages 48 and 47, inletVchamber 42, passages 39 and 51, and port 53 igto pump chamber or recess28. At the same time, the liquid will be forced from pump chamber orrecess 28 through port 52, passages 50 and 38 into outlet chamber 43.The outlet chamber 43 has an outlet port 54 communicating with theconduit 7 s o that the Huid under pressure may pass through the latterinto the coal breaking member 5 for inflating the latter. Obviously, themember 5 may expand in a direction at right angles to its plane, therebyfurnishing the necessary force in the proper direction for breaking downblocks of coal as shown in my co-'pending application hereinbeforementioned.

-Vhen a desired block of coal has been broken down, removal of the coalbreaking member from the slot in the coal seam may be facilitated bydellating said coal breaking meinber 5. This is accomplished by givingthe valve plug 37 a half turn, in which position the passage 38communicates with the passage 51 and the passage 39 communicates withthe passage 50. When the valve plug is in this latter position, andthemotor l2 is placed into operation, the liquid will be drawn from theinflatable member 5 through conduit 7 into chamber 43, through passage38 and passage 5l into pump chamber or recess 28. At the same time,the'liquid will be forced through port 52, passages 50 and 39,y chamber42, passages 47 and 48 and pipe 49 back into the reservoir l2.Obviously, by forming the reservoir l2 of proper capacity, overhasaradial passage 64,

inflation of the expansible coal member 5 will be impossible.

` In Figure l, the device isfshown as it appears in use preparatory toexpanding the Y 'coal breaking member '5. As shown, a horizontal slot 55has been cut into the coal seam .for a considerable distance at the Hoorline Vof the working place, anda furtherV horizontal slot has been cutparallel' Vwith thelslot 55 asat 56 al suitable distance above the Hoorline, the sl0ts'55 and 56 intersecting spaced vertical slots, one ofwhich is illustrated at 57. In this way, the cut of `coal is divided.

into a number. of horizontally elongated blocks attached only at theirfar ends to thev seam of coal. The row of. blocks adjacent the floor ofthe mine or working place are successively broken down by inserting theinflatable coal breaking member 5 ysuccessivebreaking lyk above therespective blocks within the l" slot 56, .expanding the member 5 at eachpositioning of the latter. Althoughthe slots 55 andV 56 are relativelynarrow, the member 5'isfreadily inserted and sufficient clearance isprovidedbeneath the blocks ofcoal indicated at 58 toV permit them toreadily break loosefrom theseam of coal at their far ends. These blocksmay then be suitably transported to and loaded into cars fortransportation from the mine. The same cycle of operation is repeated bycutting additional.horizontal slots above the slots 55 and 56 asindicated by dotted lines at 59, the last horizontal cut being levelwith the kceiling ofthe working place.- In this way, the entire cut ofcoal may be blocked and broken down without production of ak greatamount of line coal or dust and without the dangerous use of explosives.

'y l/Vhile the elongated eXpansible coal breaking member 5 maybeverycheaply produced i andwill permit application of forcesubstantially at the back ends o f the slits 56 and 59 when necessary ordesirable, `a very economical and efficient coal breaking member may beconstructed of circular yor disk-like form as generally indicated at 5ain Figures 9 to V11 inclusive.' In these figures, the coal breakingmember consists of a rigid flat metal frame ring (iO-having diaphragme.or flexible disks 61 of reinforced rubberor the like applied to oppositefaces thereof to form a normally flat hollow expansible member ofcircular form. The margins of the disks 6l are tightly secured betweenthe frame ring 60 and thinnerclampi-ng rings 62, by means of screws 63or the like, whereby the member 5a is made fluid-tight. The frame ring60 and vis formed with external spaced bracing'webs 65 at opposite sidesof said duitfia has its outer `endpartly flattened as at 6 6, andv thisflattened portion snugly lits between the webs 65 to be braced bythe'latter'against lateral-strains.` The terminal Vof this flattened endportion'66 is slotted to lit d passage. The fluid supply conilo over theouter edge portion of frame ring 60, and the conduit is thus positionedto communicate. with the interior of member 5a through passage 64. Theparts 60, 65 and 66 are then welded together to render the jointfluid-tight and to rigidly secure the conduit 7 a and member 5atogether. Obviously, when fluid is pumped under pressure into member 5a,the disks 61 will be bulged outwardly, while such disks will return toflat form when the fluid is pumped out of the member 5a. Tremendousforce may thus be applied at right angles to the slits or cuts 56 and 59for breaking down the blocks of coal when the member 5a, is expanded orinflated, and when the member 5a is deflated it may be readily insertedin or removedfrom said slits or cuts. Otherwisethe construction ofbothembodiments of the invention is the same.

Vhat I claim as new is:

l. A device for breaking down coal Comprising a flat hollow coalbreaking member having opposed flexible walls, and'Y means operable atwill to expand or collapse said coal breaking member including poweroperated means for pumping fluid into or from said coal breaking member.

2. A device for breaking down coal including a motor, a liquidreservoir, and a liquid pump rigidly connected in end to end relationwith the motor operatively connected to the pump, a rigid conduitrigidly connected with the pump, an expansible hollow member carried bysaid conduit, and means for placing the pressure side of the pump incommunication with said conduit and simultaneously placing the suctionside of said pump in communication with the reservoir, or for placingsaid conduit in communication with the suction side of said pump and thepressure side of said pump in communication with the reservoir forselectively inilating or deflating the expansible member, at will.

3. A device for breaking down coal comprising aliquid reservoir, a motorrigid with fluid under pressure therethrough to or from said coalbreaking member for inflating or collapsing the latter. 5. A device forbreaking down coal comprising a rigid fluid conduit, a hollow normallyflat flexible coal breaking member attached to one end of and incommunication with said conduit, and manually controlled power operatedmeans for pumping fluid under pressure into said coal breaking member.

V6. A device for breaking down coal comprising a motor, a liquidreservoir, a pump, anda control valve rigidly assembled in end to endrelation, a rigid conduit rigidly connected with the contr-ol valve incommunication with `the outlet chamber of the latter, an expansiblehollow coal breaking member carried by and in communication with saidconduit, and means including said control valve for providingcommunication between the reservoir and said conduit through said pumpwhereby the coal breaking member may be selectively inflated or deflatedat will, said motor being operatively connected with said pump. Y

7. In a device for breaking down coal, a normally flat hollow coalbreaking member having opposed flexible walls, said coal breaking memberhaving a port through an edge thereof to facilitate inflation of thesame. f i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH r. JOY.

one end of the reservoir and having a power shaft extending through thelatter, a pump -rigid with the other end of the reservoir and having itsdrive shaft constituted by said power shaft of the motor, a rigidconduit rigidly connected with the pump and having K an inflatable coalbreaking member attached to its outer end, and means for selectivelyestablishing communication between the reservoir and the coal breakingmember through the pump whereby the coal breaking member may be inflatedor deflated at will. Y

l. A device'for breaking down coal comprising a flat hollow coalbreaking member having opposed flexible walls, a rigid conduit havingsaid coal breaking member attached to one end thereof: and incommunication with the same, and means rigidwith the other end of saidconduit for selectively supplying

